Staff and students rallied on Thursday to protest the university’s proposed cost-cutting plan, citing concerns about job losses and a decline in the quality of education.
More than 100 attended the rally at the Callaghan campus led by the Newcastle branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
“Who’s university? Our university!” the demonstrators chanted.
The vice chancellor, Professor Alex Zelinsky, came under fire as attendees put their own spin on Pink Floyd’s protest song Another Brick in the Wall by singing: “Alex, leave our jobs alone”.
The NTEU Newcastle branch president, Terry Summers, called on students to be “invested” in this movement.
“The impact adversely affects them. From course scheduling to teacher numbers,” he said.
“All are affected and the impact will trickle down to students in the classroom.”
The university’s business improvement plan aims to save at least $20.6 million this year.
Mr Summers previously told the Newcastle Herald that this will result in about 115 jobs being lost.
NTEU Newcastle branch president, Terry Summers. Archive image
The university has disclosed it will be cutting 12 programs in 2026, but has not specified which programs are on the chopping block.
In a statement, Professor Zelenski wrote that the cost-cutting is to ensure the university remains “a strong, future-focused institution”.
He stated that rising costs and changes in international student policies are creating financial challenges across the sector.
Efforts to cut costs in non-salary work have saved around $10 million, but he stated that further changes are still needed in the workforce to meet the target.
“We regularly review our programs to ensure they reflect student demand and align with our strategic priorities,” he stated.
“In 2026, a small number of programs will be discontinued due to factors such as consistently low enrolments. At the same time, we’ll be introducing a number of new programs in areas of strong student and industry interest.”
The Newcastle Herald reported that the university will be demoting the School of Psychological Science at a time when more people are seeking mental health services.
While prospective students hoping to build a career in property development will be disappointed to discover the surveying program will be discontinued in 2026.
